Coke pays Tom Brady $3 million to sell water

Posted Oct 31st 2007 2:16PM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Coca-Cola (KO), Marketing and Advertising, Business of Sports

Coca Cola (NYSE: KO) will pay New England Patriots heartthrob Tom Brady $3 million to $5 million to endorse Smartwater, Vitamin Water's sister brand that was acquired as part of the deal for Glaceau (which made 50 Cent a very rich man indeed...).

The Glaceau acquisition was part of Coke's strategy to pursue revenue growth as sales of carbonated beverage decline. According to the USA Today:

Brady, who dates a supermodel and makes gossip-column headlines as well as sports news, joins Jennifer Aniston in pitching the distilled water with added electrolytes. Replacement of electrolytes depleted in workouts can ease muscle fatigue. Smartwater is the top enhanced water with yoga enthusiasts, and Aniston has lent the brand a sexy, healthy lifestyle image. Brady adds some muscle to the healthy image.

You almost have to wonder about whether these products are a rip-off. If the company can pay Jennifer Aniston and Tom Brady millions of dollars to sell water, the mark-up has got to be pretty high.

But Tom Brady is as big as it gets right now, and this a pretty big coup for Glaceau.

Tags: Coca Cola, CocaCola, Coke, Glaceau, KO, Smartwater, Tom Brady, TomBrady, VitaminWater, Water

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-04-2007 @ 1:29AM

Betty J Stohler said...

Wouldn't this be the greatest time for cola cola to begin their logo for the kids? Collectable tin peddle cars, wagons, scate boards, and scooters. SUCH A JOY FOR THESES CHILDREN, THAT SEE THE WORLD THROUGH ROSY EYE GLASSES. AND, WITH BRIGHT EYE'S GLOWING BRIGHT AS THE MOON. ADD A DETAIL PORTRAITING OUR USA MILITARY
SOLDIERS.

11-04-2007 @ 1:35AM

Betty Stohler said...

TIME FOR THE TIN COCA COLA PEDDLE AIRPLANE. SPARKLING CHERRY, CRANBERRY, POMEGRANTE VITA- COCA COLA, FIRST EDITION BOTTLES.

11-04-2007 @ 1:43AM

Betty Stohler said...

THE NEW COLLECTABLE COCA COLA TIN PEDDLE CAR/ LOGO USA MILTARY HEROS, IS SEEN THROUGH A CHILDS EYE'S, WEARING ROSEY COLORED EYE GLASSES. WHILE ANOTHER CHAP WITH HIS COCA COLA WOODEN GUN, SMILES FOR
THE CAMERA.

11-05-2007 @ 11:29AM

jill said...

Um, of course these products are a rip off. They're a product of clever marketing- Vitamin Water is a great example- it's got no proven health benefits, and it's loaded with sugar, yet it's still perceived as "healthy". They've also gotten a lot of buzz from celeb endorsements, so it seems their strategy for Smart Water is more of the same, with Jennnifer Aniston and Tom Brady.

11-05-2007 @ 9:08PM

SP said...

haha I'm buying it after I see Brady's commerical! Beats owning products/using services that Manning endorses. (Sprint, Mastercard, Sony..the list can go on and on..)